Max Primorac
President, Institute for Stabilization & TransitionMax Primorac brings 25 years of foreign policy and national security experience in complex military operations, terrorism, democracy promotion, conflict resolution, donor coordination, diplomacy, and development as a senior official at the US Department of State, Department of Defense, and head of institutes and corporate adviser.<br /> <br /> Primorac is President of the Institute for Stabilization & Transition providing solutions to conflicts in fragile states; Managing Director of Between Two Rivers, LLC advising national governments and corporations on commercial transactions in Eastern Europe and Middle East/North Africa, Director of the University of Chicago Alumni’s Foreign Policy Circle, Member of the Pentagon’s Joint Staff Pakistan-Afghanistan Coordination Cell’s Federation Forum, and Member of the Transatlantic Think Tank Conference; and Senior Adviser to the Atlantic Council’s Task Force on the Future of Iraq.<br /> <br /> During the Bush Administration, Primorac was Senior Adviser for Stabilization & Transition to the Secretary of State’s Iraq Coordinator in support of the President’s surge strategy. He was on the President’s White House Task Force on Protection of Religious Minorities in Iraq and Deputy Director of the Iraq Reconstruction & Management Office, managing $2 billion in US foreign aid. During his tenure at the State Department he held the rank of Senior Executive Service. Before that, he was a democracy specialist at the US Department of Defense. From 2009–2011 he was senior adviser to the Government of Afghanistan, developing strategies to stand up its provincial administration on a $230 million USAID/Deloitte Consulting program. Prior to public service, Primorac was President of the Center for Civil Society for Southeastern Europe and Executive Director of the Southeast Europe Office - Institute for World Affairs, designing and implementing a range of democracy and conflict resolution programs for leaders from Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia. He began his career as Senior Research Fellow at the CIS Foundation treating politico-security issues in the Western Hemisphere, including terrorism, insurgencies, narcotics trafficking, and democracy transition.<br /> <br /> Primorac obtained his Master’s degree in international affairs at the University of Chicago and undergraduate degree at Franklin & Marshall College. He regularly participates in international conferences, most recently in Belgium, Italy and Niger. His media appearances include CNN International, ABC News, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, BBC Radio, and other media outlets.
